Manufacturing of complex small mechanical sub-assemblies often requires special tooling and/or intensive hand labor for putting together the assembly's components. These and similar factors can increase the cost of manufacturing as well as the setup time necessary to go into production. There is thus a need for an efficient, versatile, and low-cost method of placing and maintaining the alignment of small components in specific predetermined positions and specific orders that reduces or eliminates the need for special alignment fixtures and skilled manual labor. This goal is met by the present invention.